The Problem Is
by ProLazy
Summary: Prompt:Whenever Castiel brings a guy back to their room Dean finds that he becomes moody and uncomfortable. He worries about the cause until Sam makes him see sense.


**A/N: So this is a prompt going around Tumblr which is based on a real story. It's really cute and I can send you a link to the original article if you wish :)**

* * *

Dean returned to the room after class to find Castiel sat in an intense lip lock with yet another complete stranger.

Dean sighed and rolled his eyes. He made a point of slamming the door behind himself so that they would at least know he was there, but it was made apparent that they were lost in their own little world and Dean was made to feel like an intruder in his own room.

He believed this was guy number three of the month, and Dean didn't like it. He didn't take issue with the number of men Castiel brought back over a short period of time as he had done so himself with girls in the past, although Dean's own sex life seemed to be almost non-existent of late; he just didn't have much interest. However, this brought why it _did_ bother him so much into question.

Dean was adamant that he was not homophobic; the thought of being something so repulsive scared and revolted him. But whenever he saw Castiel with a new man it made him feel a little sick and that troubled Dean greatly. He was not bothered by the fact Castiel was with another man, that he was sure of, but he didn't know exactly how to place the feeling…

These feelings had been occurring the whole year that they had been living together. It wasn't like Dean hated Castiel either; they had clicked instantly and he was Dean's best friend. One of the first things Castiel had told Dean was that he was gay, so it didn't come as a shock when Dean came home the first time to find him with a mystery guy. However, even from that first time Dean had felt beyond irritated.

Dean went to flop down on his bed and turned onto his side to face the wall so that he wouldn't have to face them; he was already feeling extremely uncomfortable again, no matter how much Dean wanted to deny it. But surely anyone would be a little uncomfortable about being in the same room as two people passionately kissing…right?

He eventually heard Castiel's bed creak and footsteps heading across the floor. There were whispers and giggles and then the soft click of a door closing.

Dean felt the side of his bed dip as Castiel crawled next to him and prodded him in the back.

"What's up?"

Dean smiled as he rolled over to face Castiel; the other teen was grinning at him.

"Nothing much" Dean lied. "It's just been a rough day I guess."

"Well then let's go out to a club tonight. We'll get some drinks and get that cute lil' ass of yours shaking on the dance floor" Castiel said.

Dean chuckled and pulled Castiel into a tight hug. He wasn't at all taken aback by Castiel's comment; he was very flirty and Dean did sometimes reciprocate the sentiment, but he assumed it was mostly just light teasing.

"That sounds fun" Dean said.

"Good" Castiel said. "Now, wear one of your tight fitting shirts that show off all that muscle. We are going to get you laid; you haven't had that kind of release in months."

"Yeah…" Dean said a little nervously. "Are you sure the tight top isn't for your enjoyment too?" he asked with a smirk.

Casitel shrugged and tried to look innocent.

"Maybe a little."

Dean snorted with amusement. "Thanks, you dorky lil' guy."

* * *

Dean did meet a girl at the bar that night. Her name was Anna Milton and she also attended their college. She was very beautiful and intelligent, but their relationship hadn't become anything serious. They had a sort of friends with benefits situation; whenever Dean or Anna were frustrated or in the mood for some fun they would get together and fool around, but there were no real deep-seated emotions behind it.

Castiel didn't seem to mind, but then he would be kind of a hypocrite. He also met another boy at the bar – who Dean didn't care to remember the name of – and he had actually been around more often than most of Castiel's other flings. Dean wondered if things were getting serious.

He returned home one evening to find Castiel and his new squeeze just sat on the bed talking but it still set Dean on edge.

"Hello, Dean" Castiel beamed up at him.

"Hey" Dean muttered as he dumped his bag on the floor. He missed the way Castiel frowned at him.

"Hey, man" What's-his-name said as he got up to address Dean. "It's occurred to me that I'm round here kind of a lot and we haven't really talked, so, it's nice to meet you" he said as he offered his hand to Dean to shake.

"Mmhm" Dean replied as he totally blanked the guy and went to lie down on his bed.

He picked up a comic from his nightstand and opened it, holding it up over his face so he couldn't see Castiel and what's-his-name.

"Would you please leave me and Dean to talk?" Castiel asked his boyfriend politely.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."

Dean heard the pair sharing a kiss and it made him start to feel a little queasy.

As soon as the door closed Castiel stormed over to Dean and ripped the comic from his grip and slammed it down on the table top.

"What the hell is your problem!?" he yelled.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Dean said as he sat up.

"You think I haven't realised that every time I bring a guy home you're either rude to him or you just blank him completely?! That you get all moody or distant?!"

"I do not" Dean protested, although there was little force behind it; he knew that Castiel was right but he was too scared to admit the truth.

"Yes you do!" Castiel yelled. "Why do you have a problem with me bringing guys home?! You bring Anna here all the time and I don't complain!"

"Cas, I don't have a problem with you having guys over. It's just…" Dean trailed off he wasn't sure what he wanted to say.

There was a moment of tense silence until Castiel came to a chilling conclusion.

"Do you…Do you have a problem with me being gay?" he asked quietly. He didn't even look angry; he looked hurt.

"No!" Dean protested more defensively than he probably should have. "That's ridiculous. I told you the day we met I didn't have a problem with it."

"Well it's clear to me that you've changed your mind" Castiel said. There was a waver in his voice and tears building in the corners of his eyes which made Dean want to pull him into a tight hug and apologise over and over again. "Or maybe you've just lied to me from the beginning."

"Cas, I swear-"

"Save it" Castiel said as he raised his hand to silence Dean. He grabbed his coat from his bed. "You were my best friend, Dean. I thought that if you had an issue you would at least talk to me about it instead of just being an asshole."

With that he stormed out.

And Dean allowed himself to crumble.

He curled up on his side and tried to remember how to breathe. Now he just felt sick and disgusted with himself. He couldn't have a problem with Castiel being gay, he just couldn't. He would never want to lose Castiel, to cause that much hurt for him.

He didn't know what to do.

And to make matters worse, Castiel didn't come home that night.

* * *

The next day was Saturday so Dean decided to go and visit his little brother. He texted Castiel to say sorry and tell him he was leaving; Cas wasn't the one who deserved to be exiled after all.

Castiel didn't reply but a little tick appeared to tell Dean he had at least seen the message; Dean was just relieved to know he was somewhat alright.

Sam opened the door as soon as he saw the unmistakable Impala pull up onto the drive.

"Dean!" he called excitedly as his brother made his way up the path.

"Hey, Sammy" Dean said with a smirk. He wrapped his brother up in a headlock and ruffled his excessively long hair.

"Stop it, Jerk!"

"Bitch" Dean scoffed as he released his younger – yet annoyingly taller – brother. "Where's dad?" he asked as they headed back into the house.

"He's on a hunting trip with uncle Bobby this weekend."

"Of course he is" Dean sighed. "So you've got the place to yourself, huh?"

"Not really. Don't tell dad but…Jess is coming over."

Dean's eyes widened. "Well you better be sleeping in separate rooms."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Duh. I'm a gentleman" he said proudly. "Unlike you."

He dipped out of the way before Dean could grab him again.

They went to sit on the couch and Dean started to remember the exact reason why he had come home.

"What's up?" Sam asked with a concern frown when he noticed his brother had gone quiet.

"Cas and I had a huge fight" Dean confessed miserably.

"Really?" Sam said with surprise; he thought that his brother and Castiel were almost inseparable. "What about?"

"I…I hate the fact that he brings guys home" Dean confessed cautiously. "And I don't like that he kisses them."

"Are you saying you have a problem with Cas being gay!?" Sam asked with alarm.

"No!" Dean exclaimed as he stood up and started pacing. "I-I mean…I really hope not."

"Well what did you say when you were fighting?" Sam asked with a frown.

"I didn't really say a lot but Cas understandably jumped to the same conclusion" Dean explained. "He just said that it wasn't fair I felt that way because I bring Anna home all the time and I told him I didn't have a problem with him bringing guys over. I mean there are a lot of them but that's none of my business. And surely if I had a problem with Cas being gay him flirting with me would bother me a lot but we just flirt all the time-"

He was cut off when Sam threw a cushion at his face.

"You are such a moron!" the younger Winchester exclaimed with frustration. "I'm fifteen and even I can see what's going on!"

"What?" Dean asked with a pout as he threw the cushion back at Sam.

"You're not homophobic, idiot. You're _jealous."_

"What?" Dean repeated, but much more quietly as his own realisation started to sink in.

"You're in love with Cas!" Sam cried. "And the flirting? Being mad about Anna? Bringing all those guys home to fill the void? Cas is in love with you too."

"Oh my God" Dean breathed. "I-I was jealous. You're right."

"Yeah!" Sam scoffed. "Like always."

"I'm in love with Cas" Dean affirmed. "I could never resent him in anyway; he's my best friend and more."

"Great, but you should be telling _him_ that" Sam stressed.

"You're right, again. I've got to go" Dean said. He pulled his younger brother into a tight hug. "Thanks, Sammy."

"Shut up" Sam deadpanned. "Now go!"

* * *

Dean took a deep breath before going into the room.

Castiel, who had been lying on the bed, quickly sat up and sniffled miserably as he wiped his eyes.

"I thought you'd gone home?" he murmured.

"Cas, I am _so_ sorry" Dean said as he cautiously sat on the end of the other teen's bed; he was pleased that he wasn't told to get lost. "I hate myself for upsetting you like this; you've done nothing to deserve it. I've been a total jerk and…and it shouldn't have taken me until now to figure out why."

"What do you mean?" Castiel asked with a frown.

"Okay, I'm kind of anxious because this is all totally new to me" Dean confessed. "But…I don't have a problem with you being gay. The reason I've been acting the way I have is because…because I'm jealous."

It came out rushed and he had to drop his gaze down to his lap as he started to clench and then relax his fists nervously.

"What are you jealous about?" Castiel enquired as he was evidently still confused. "You could get as many girls as you wanted."

"No, not like that" Dean said quietly. "I'm jealous because… _I_ want to be with you, Cas. I love you."

There was a silence which seemed to last like an eternity for Dean.

He almost jumped when he saw Castiel's hands move in to clasp around his.

"It's okay" Castiel assured him. "You shouldn't be so nervous. I…I love you too, Dean."

The taller teen looked up into Castiel's eyes for the first time since sitting down and saw the sincerity in his gaze.

"Really?"

"Yes" Castiel said with a nervous laugh. "All the flirting is real. I only go out with all these guys to try and get over you because I thought you were straight and would never feel the same."

"Yeah, well, I thought that I was straight too" Dean said with equally apprehensive mirth.

"Dean, we don't have to jump into anything" Castiel told him. "We can take is slow. I know it's hard to suddenly question something so big as part of your identity. I'll help you in any way that I can."

"Thanks, Cas" Dean said with a small smile. "I knew you'd be amazing with this. There is one thing I'd like to try though, if it's okay?"

"What's that?" Castiel asked with an encouraging smile.

"Can I kiss you?"

Castiel laughed lightly before using his initiative to take the lead and he slowly leaned in to lock his lips together with Dean's.

Dean felt something ignite within him which seemed to have been dormant for an age. He didn't remember the last time that kissing someone had felt so right, and he found himself hoping there would be many more.

He eventually pulled back, wanting to make sure that Castiel felt the same. It was made apparent that he did by the way he was grinning from ear-to-ear.

Dean had never been more relieved.

It turned out that he didn't have a problem with Castiel kissing guys if it was him that he was kissing.


End file.
